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Vol 31 • No 07
$4.99
December 2018
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prized Christmas recipes
The Merb’ys: Fundraising Tales
Newsmakers of the Year What to buy an expat for Christmas
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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Janice Stuckless Assistant Editor Elizabeth Whitten Special Publications Editor Tobias Romaniuk Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Graphic and Web Designer Cory Way Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Senior Account Manager Robert Saunders Account Manager Barbara Young Marketing Director Tiffany Boone Finance and Administration Senior Accountant Karen Critch Junior Accountant Marlena Grant Operations Manager Alicia Brennan Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney
Warehouse Operations Warehouse Operator Josephine Leyte Distribution Sales & Merchandising Joseph Reddy Sr. Customer Service Associate Sharon Muise Inventory Control Clerk Heather Lane Warehouse Associate Anthony Sparrow Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, Water Street Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Avalon Mall Carol Howell Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Emma Goodyear, Ciara Hodge, Jonathon Organ, Nicole French, Elizabeth Gleason, Janet Watkins, Melissa Wheeler, Rebecca Ford, Darlene Burton, Natalie Engram, Erin McCarthy
Subscriptions Sr. Administrative Assistant Amanda Ricks Customer Service Associate Drew Ennis Customer Service Associate Keri St. Croix Founding Editor Ron Young Chief Executive Officer / Publisher Grant Young President Todd Goodyear Chief Financial Officer Tina Bromley
To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL $39; AB, BC, MB, NU, NT, QC, SK, YT $40.95; ON $44.07; NB, NS, PE $44.85. US and International mailing price for a 1-year term is $49.00.
Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40062919 The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability beyond the amount of such advertisement. The Letters to the Editor section is open to all letter writers providing the letters are in good taste, not libelous, and can be verified as true, correct and written by the person signing the letter. Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published. The publisher reserves the right to edit, revise, classify, or reject any advertisement or letter. © Downhome Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Printed in Canada Official onboard magazine of
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festive flavours
Contents
DECEMBER 2018
40 Rick Mercer Reports On the heels of his hilarious new bare-all book, Canada’s favourite ranter and Newfoundland son talks about politics, pursuing passions and making childhood dreams come true. Linda Browne
56 Let the Right Mummer In A filmmaker returns to Newfoundland and Labrador for a chilling take on mummering. Elizabeth Whitten
84 Cooking Up Christmas Downhome staff and friends present our favourite holiday food and drink recipes.
124 special delivery
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124 Christmas Memories From secret Santa to Christmas Barrel Day and a tree trimmed in suckers, these are cherished stories of holidays past, written by readers.
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Contents
DECEMBER 2018
homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor 11 Contributors Meet the people behind the magazine
12 Letters from Our Readers The story behind a family name change, overlooked veterans, and a mystery tool that needs identifying
24 santa con
22 Downhome Tours Explore Sweden with Downhome
24 That’s Amazing Wild news from around the world
26 Life’s Funny Tough Love Myrtle Byrne
27 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth
28 Lil Charmers Holiday Treasures
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Christmas kids
30 Pets of the Month Festive & Furry 32 Blast from the Past Remember Pong?
34 Why is That Why do we close our eyes when we sneeze? And why do we hang wreaths on our doors? Linda Browne 36 Reviewed Denise Flint interviews Melissa Barbeau and reviews her book, The Luminous Sea.
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video playback 1-888-588-6353
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mummers away
66 attitude to go
38 What Odds Paul Warford’s high expectations
features 46 Merb’ys with a Message Look who’s back with a 2019 calendar Elizabeth Whitten
52 Mummering on the Mainland 60 Newsmakers of the Year
explore 64 What’s on the Go Exciting events happening in Atlantic Canada
66 Living His Best Life A St. John’s man faced down physical challenges for a dream tour of Europe. Marie-Beth Wright www.downhomelife.com
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Contents
DECEMBER 2018
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outside adornment
70 Stuff About What do Irish rock band U2, Bell Island and the Tour de France have in common?
72 Travel Diary A Fine Mug-Up! Florence Strang
food and leisure 78 The Everyday Gourmet Unforgettable Gravy & Ham Glazes Andrea Maunder
102 Gifts From Home 106 Down to Earth Deck the Garden Ross Traverse 6
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78 saucy stuff
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winner takes the cake
reminiscing 112 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places
113 This Month in History Remembering NL’s first postmaster
114 Visions and Vignettes Gnat, do you mind … Dogcat and Cake? Harold N. Walters 118 Christmas Miracle at Sea About the cover It just doesn't feel like a Christmas issue if the mummers aren't in it. You'll LOL at the stories of mainland janneys (p. 52) and be intrigued by a filmmaker's dark take on this age-old custom (p.56). (Mummer designs by Cory Way)
Cover Index 24 Prized Christmas Recipes • 78 New Book, New Chapter • 40 Wheeling Around Europe • 66 Mummers Away! • 52 The Merb’ys • 46 Newsmakers of the Year • 60 What to Buy an Expat for Christmas • 102 www.downhomelife.com
An incredible tale of a storm, a shipwreck and a surprise salvation Dennis Flynn
122 Between the Boulevard and the Bay The Queen of Swansea Tragedy Ron Young
140 Mail Order 146 Real Estate 146 Marketplace 148 Puzzles 160 Photo Finish December 2018
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Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are a humorous and outspoken bunch by nature. Visit any community and you’ll find someone more than willing to give their two cents on the news of the day, or politics or the weather (two of our favourite subjects). There is perhaps no better place, then, for Rick Mercer to have cut his teeth. Hailed by the New York Times as “Canada’s leading political satirist,” the Middle Cove native has built his career upon ranting. One might think that after nearly three decades of it, he would tire of the shtick or run out of things to say. Not a chance. If there’s one thing Rick Mercer never runs out of, it’s opinions – and hilarious ways of expressing them.
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RICK’S LOVE OF POLITICS IS EQUALLED BY HIS LOVE FOR THE COUNTRY, SOMETHING THAT WAS ON FULL DISPLAY DURING THE RUN OF HIS BELOVED COMEDY SERIES, “RICK MERCER REPORT.”
HE’LL RANT & HE’LL ROAR Growing up, Rick was surrounded by a cast of colourful characters. Perhaps one of his earliest influences was his godfather, the late businessman and politician Hugh Shea. “I loved that someone could be as passionate about politics, could be as passionate about the province, and could be engaged on so many different levels. He went from, at one point, being in the legislature, to being as far from the legislature as you could possibly get. But he was still involved in party politics and would write more letters to the editor than I’ve probably written rants in my life,” says Rick over the phone from his Toronto home. In his youth, Rick developed a penchant for politics and a knack for delivering his thoughts in his own witty, rapid-fire way. His big break came in the most unexpected of places: while working as a dishwasher at the Duckworth Lunch restaurant in St. John’s. One of the patrons was a man who produced 42
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political commentaries for CBC Radio, “which I thought were very dreary, being a cocky 16/17-yearold,” Rick recalls. “Every time he’d walk by there, I would be up to my elbows in dishwater and I would say, ‘You gotta let me come in and do one of those commentaries.’ And I don’t know what happened, but one day he actually said, ‘Are you serious? What about today?’” And Rick has been ranting ever since. His eight-year stint on CBC’s “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” saw him bringing his signature rants (what he calls “the cheapest two minutes in Canadian television,” due to their bare-bones production) to a national audience. Rick’s love of politics is equalled by his love for the country, something that was on full display during the run of his beloved comedy series, “Rick Mercer Report.” In 15 seasons, he visited every nook and cranny and participated in countless hair-raising adventures with the who’s who of Canadian culture, sports and politics – everything from bungee jumping 1-888-588-6353
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with Canadian icon and Man in Motion Rick Hansen, and dangling 1,168 feet off the CN Tower with singer-songwriter Jann Arden, to skinny dipping with Bob Rae (who was then running for the leadership of the federal Liberal Party). And, of course, he ranted – a lot. In fact, it’s estimated that over the course of the show, Rick walked 42 kilometres in Graffiti Alley (off Toronto’s Queen Street), where his rants were filmed. On April 10, 2018, he bid adieu to the “Mercer Report” after approximately 250 rants and more than 250 episodes.
RULES OF (DIS)ENGAGEMENT In November, Rick released his fourth book, Rick Mercer Final Report, a rollicking ride that brings together 131 of his finest rants. Some of them, like “The Art of Dealing with Trump,” “Climate Change” and “The Facts Are Out” (“Why is it that now, when we have access to more information than ever before, we are www.downhomelife.com
becoming increasingly dumb?” Rick asks) couldn’t be more timely in our hyper-politically charged climate. Some tackle more innocent matters, like how many Canadians can’t grasp how to use turn signals, or what it’s really like to attend the often-chaotic Question Period in the House of Commons. While the headlines of the day might make folks want to run for the hills (or switch off their TVs, computers and brains), Rick strongly advises against it. “So many Canadians, they view their Member of Parliament the same way they view a box of baking soda in the fridge – they kind of know that it’s there, they’re not even really 100 per cent sure of the brand, and until there’s a giant stink they ignore it. And then they go, ‘Oh, maybe it’s time to throw that one out and get another one,’” he says. “If I had any wish, it’d be that people would be engaged on a day-today basis. I would reiterate that the parties often are quite content when Canadians don’t pay attention to December 2018
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Daniella D'Souza photo
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RICK IN THE STUDIO RECORDING THE AUDIOBOOK EDITION OF HIS LATEST BOOK.
what they’re up to. And it matters. All of the arguments like, ‘It doesn’t matter who I’m going to vote for because they’re all the same,’ that’s just not true. It was not true in the last presidential election and it was not true in any election I’ve ever seen.” While some of the rants will make readers hot under the collar, there are more than enough laughs along the way. They’ll also make you think – or, at the very least, hit up Google to find out where the heck Flin Flon is (and if Rick’s “Talking to Americans” segment has taught us anything, it’s that learning more geography is never a bad thing). One thing’s for sure, he’s got these 90-second diatribes down to a science. “In the book, I equate it to taking an entire cow and reducing it to a cup of gravy… You have to get everything down on paper, and it could be seven or eight pages, and then you just start distilling and distilling and distilling, 44
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all the while being careful that you don’t lose your original point,” Rick says. The book also offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes peek into the making of the “Mercer Report,” from all the things that went right, to those that went horribly wrong. What was it like rolling joints with the late, great, bow-tied author Pierre Berton? And how did a scriptwriting gig with legendary Canadian film director Norman Jewison inadvertently lead to him sending a scandalous snap to his mother? Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out. As much as the “Mercer Report” has helped Canadians learn about and discover their own backyard, Rick says it’s been an education for him as well. “Accessibility is something that I just think of now as second nature... I just built a cabin in Newfoundland... and it’s designed so Rick 1-888-588-6353
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RICK MERCER WITH JUSTIN TRUDEAU (RIGHT) AND BONHOMME AT QUEBEC CARNIVAL, FOR A 2007 EPISODE OF RICK MERCER REPORT.
Hansen can roll down the driveway, roll in the front door, roll through the living room, roll out through the deck, and then roll on down to the fire pit. And past that it’s the ocean; he’s on his own,” he jokes. “But it’s a purely accessible building because of Rick and all the Paralympians I’ve had on the show over the years.” With the “Mercer Report” behind him, Rick has been busy performing live and attending to other important matters, he says, like figuring out where to place his rhubarb patch and getting ready for the holiday season. “I think there’s one Christmas in my entire life I wasn’t in Newfoundland,” he says, “and so getting home and spending time with my parents, and however many other siblings can manage to make the trip, is really important.” While it seems like his career has come full circle, one thing’s for certain: www.downhomelife.com
this isn’t the last we’ll see of (or hear from) Canada’s favourite ranter. “Ever since I was a kid, and I wanted to be on television and work in television, I wanted my own show... and for me, I was fortunate enough that it came true, and then I had it for 15 years. But if I wanted to do that right now, if I wanted to have a show on TV, it would be season 16 of the ‘Mercer Report,’ because if I had to write out my dream job, that would still be it. So, this is new for me,” he says. “I’m sure there’ll be other adventures. I just don’t know what they are.”
Rick's latest book, released last month, includes his rants and the goings-on behind the scenes of his long-running show. December 2018
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You could be walking
along a stretch of beach in Newfoundland and Labrador one day and be stopped in your tracks by a scene just ahead. Reclining on a rock, a vision with glistening scales reflecting the light, and bejeweled and flowing… facial hair? Congratulations, you’ve spotted an elusive Merb’y. While not as well-known as their female cryptozoological counterpart, Merb’ys have been popping up along the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador for two years running, posing for photographers, all in the name of charity. It’s a project headed by the Newfoundland and Labrador Beard and Moustache Club, and its president, and top Merb’y, Hasan Hai. The group was formed in 2017, not only to appreciate facial hair, but also to champion good causes in the community. Merb’ys got its start when a friend of Hasan shared an image of a bearded man in a mermaid costume on Facebook, along with a dare for him to do it, too. It’s a commonly known fact in Hasan’s social circle that he isn’t afraid of wild ideas, particularly when the goal is fundraising for a good cause. He’s also the founder of Project www.downhomelife.com
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Hasan Hai (being photographed, right) was dared to dress up as a merman; the result was a Merb'ys calendar featuring a slew of burly mermen that raised a massive amount (below) for Spirit Horse.
Kindness and has dressed up as the Dark Elf on the Shelf to raise funds for the Community Food Sharing Association. Hasan then shared the merman photo, asking for others to join in. Originally it was going to be a photo series, but then he saw the interest for a calendar. He called a meeting at the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation and 30 people showed up, from photographers to potential models to crafters. “Once I realized all the raw 48
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bits were there, I’m like ‘Okay, we can do this,’” Hasan recalls. “I knew that if I did this it would be for charity in some way, I just didn’t know [for] who,” he adds. Around the time the Merb’ys calendar was coming together, there was the grand opening of Spirit Horse’s Hope Arena. Hasan was inspired by their peer mental health program that brings horses and people together. Hasan had found the cause for the calendar. The project was a hit, 1-888-588-6353
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Posing in their colourful tails, these Merb'ys are helping drown toxic male stereotypes and start conversations about masculine identity. becoming a worldwide sensation thanks to a Buzzfeed post about it that went viral. The calendars were sold as far away as Asia and Australia. In total, more than 14,000 calendars were sold and $300,466.53 raised for Spirit Horse.
Turning the Page for 2019 The first calendar was so successful, the Merb’ys decided to do it again. But how would they make it bigger and even better? For one thing, they’ve added Merb’ys merch, such as clothing, and Quidi Vidi Brewery made a brew called Salt of the Sea. And they took their photo shoots on the road. In the first year, they had stayed close to St. John’s, but this summer they travelled across the island and into Labrador for photos. Roth and Ramberg Photography from Calgary, AB, volunteered their time and expertise to come down for seven days to travel the province www.downhomelife.com
with the Merb’ys. Shooting started on a Monday in Cape Spear and by Sunday they were in Happy ValleyGoose Bay. They also had some great weather for their trip. A session in Twillingate was especially fun, Hasan recalls. It was 30ºC, there was no breeze and they had to cart the photography equipment and a cooler of beer down to the beach for the photo shoot. Afterwards they celebrated with a boil-up. To put this calendar together takes much dedication. This year there were 38 models, two photographers, plus Ray Agency to help design the calendar, market it and build the website. Volunteers chipped in for things like hair and make-up. The Refugee and Immigration Advisory Council offered to sew the tails – there are all new tails in this calendar, including a chain mail tail weighing 50 pounds. All in all, it took December 2018
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close to 60 people to make the 2019 calendar happen. The Merb’ys sent out an open call for charities to support with the 2019 calendar and roughly 40 groups came forward. It was a difficult choice to make, but the Merb’ys ultimately chose Violence Prevention Newfoundland and Labrador (VPNL) as their beneficiary. VPNL is a coalition of organizations who engage men in averting violence in their communities. “It just checked all the boxes on what we were looking at doing,” Hasan says, noting that the Beard and Mustache Club values inclusion, breaking down toxic masculinity and giving back to the community. Tackling Toxic Masculinity Not only are the Merb’ys raising money for good causes, they also sparked a way for Hasan to talk about toxic masculinity: the pervasive and harmful cultural attitudes about what it means to be a man, such as being physically strong, 50
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aggressive and unemotional. Mermaids and mermen are common folklore figures, “but most people think of them as a very feminine icon, and I kind of wanted to turn traditional and harmful masculine and male stereotypes on their head,” he says, “and, you know, pair up what is typically seen as a very feminine image along with this really traditional look of big, burly bearded guys and show that, you know, it doesn’t matter what these men look like. Men can look and act, dress and feel however they like and that doesn’t define what masculinity is.” Says Hasan, “The basic premise is always going to be deconstructing masculinity and presenting men in a healthy way and inviting a lot of great conversations.” The group behind the Merb’ys calendar, the Beard and Mustache Club, is not only made up of men with thick facial hair. Its members include transgender men and women who don’t have facial hair. “One very 1-888-588-6353
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minor aspect of the Beard and Mustache Club is appreciating facial hair, but there’s absolutely no requirement to have it. Most of it’s about what people do in the community and their values, and raising inclusion, breaking down toxic and harmful stereotypes of masculinity, and just giving back to the community in a lot of creative ways.” These positive messages are spreading, according to the feedback Hasan has gotten. Local schools and organizations have reached out to the Beard and Mustache Club to come speak about issues such as body positivity. “People are hungry for this message and they’re looking for people who can connect with the people who need to hear the message the most,” Hasan says. “I’m a big, bearded, tattooed guy. People look at me and just assume www.downhomelife.com
Sales of the 2019 calendar will benefit Violence Prevention Newfoundland and Labrador. Find it at www.nlbmc.com. I’m this big, masculine, macho guy. And yet on the other hand, I’m shirtless and tailed all over town… So people will listen to me, for whatever reason, and so I’m going to use that platform, and my group’s going to use that platform, to try and get some good messages out there.” Says Hasan, “I’m proud that we took a risk on something that was a little bit out there and found a fun way to connect with people.” December 2018
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Wear a bikini top that resembles a bra to the beach in summer and no one will bat an eye. But put a bra on over your woods jacket and walk down the road in the middle of winter? You might get a chat with the police. That’s how it is when you’re a Newfoundlander living away and decide to give mummering a go on the mainland.
It’s a winter’s night in Sarnia, Ontario, and the holiday season is well underway. Somewhere, a table is missing a doily. It’s likely on one of the six people walking down the road, faces covered, undergarments worn as outerwear, looking ridiculous in a Halloween sort of way. But this is the Christmas season, a time when, in southern Ontario, people don’t generally dress in costume, unless it’s a red suit accompanied by a jolly laugh. Mummers, you see, are so rare that most people on the mainland have never even heard of them, let alone seen one in person. But for a homesick Newfoundlander or Labradorian at Christmas looking to entertain fellow expats, going mummering seems like a great idea. So it was for Dawn Hennessey,
“Went to my Aunt and Uncle’s for a few drinks Christmas Eve in our mummering gear,” says April. “It was so nice and unexpected!” Photo submitted via Facebook by April Kendell.
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“Introduced mummers to our Alberta friends at our son’s wedding on NYE 2016!” Photo submitted by Kimberly Osmond via Facebook
“My sister and I had a blast. But no one really knew what we were doing.” Photo submitted via Facebook by Angela Dever
who went out with five of her friends one year, looking for a good time and a bit of a laugh. It don’t seem like Christmas without the mummers, and it don’t seem like winter without a bit of snow. This particular winter, in Sarnia, ON, there wasn’t enough snow to feel seasonal. The mummers, being a resourceful lot, knew exactly what to do. With a slight detour to the back of the local rink, they found the pile of ice shavings dumped by the Zamboni. Shaved ice is close enough to snow, sure? Inhaled affirmations of “yeh” all around. There may not be snow on the ground, but it’s cold – way below zero – and the mummers, six of them in a car, heat off and freezing because they don’t want to melt their Zamboni “snow,” were followed home by the police that night, Dawn told us via Facebook. She doesn’t remember much of the night, she says, aside from breakdancing on somebody’s floor at one point, dressed as an old 54
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woman, and having a run-in with the law. “The police followed us home,” writes Dawn, “because they didn’t understand why we were dressed up.” _____ • _____ Despite having a lot in common, including Celtic culture, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia don’t share the mummering tradition. Lori Cooze is a Newfoundlander now living in Nova Scotia, and she writes to tell us that her brother-in-law, a mainlander, convinced her, her husband and her sister – all Islanders – that mummering at his friend’s house late one night would be a good idea. The grandmother of this household was a Newfoundlander, after all, so this should all be fine. In full mummer regalia, they knocked on the door. It wasn’t opened. Instead, they heard the lock turn. Then the lights went out. Undeterred, the crowd went around to the back door. “Their dog was barking [and] they 1-888-588-6353
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foundlander Christa Rice-Sacrey and a couple of friends decided to surprise their flatlander friends with a bit of East Coast culture. “We had planned a visit... one December evening for a few bevvies and decided earlier that day we would show up dressed in disguise, hoping for an amusing reaction,” says Christa in a Facebook message
“Surprised our Alberta friend a few years ago!” Photo submitted via Facebook by Christa Rice-Sacrey
were screaming they were calling the police, just as we found an unlocked door in the basement and went in singing and dancing,” writes Lori in a Facebook message to Downhome. There were six people in the house, including one elderly Newfoundlander who, Lori writes, was spooked by seeing mummers in Nova Scotia – she thought someone was breaking in. Once everyone realized this was not a robbery, they all had a good laugh and got on with enjoying the evening. And one more thing, writes Lori, “The homeowner came to the basement area with a stick in his hand! Not sure who he thought he was going to confront with a stick!” And no, it wasn’t an ugly stick. _____ • _____ Sometimes, an unexpected visit from mummers doesn’t involve a threat to call the police. In Lloydminster, which straddles the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Newwww.downhomelife.com
to Downhome. Her friends weren’t sure what to make of the spectacle at their door – “they were definitely taken aback at first,” she says. The mummering crew was foiled by their own mirth, though, as their giggles gave away their identities. Out West, or at least at this house, people aren’t let into a home until those inside are sure of just who they’re letting in. That giggle, which cost them the secret of their identity, proved to be the price of admission and the mummers were invited in for a drink. “It was so great to share a small part of our Newfoundland culture with them,” writes Christa. “A fond memory for sure!” _____ • _____ Lock up the liquor cabinet, for you never know when – or where – the mummers may strike next. Got a story about mummering outside of Newfoundland and Labrador? We’d love to read it. Turn to page 9 to learn how easy it is to share your stories and photos with us, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. December 2018
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